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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Vatican City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) –
This morning a press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office
during which Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the
Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and Professor Chiara
Giaccardi of the faculty of philosophy and letters of the Catholic
University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy, presented the Holy
Father's message for the 48th World Day of Social Communication,
entitled, “Communication at the service of an authentic culture of
encounter”.

Archbishop Celli explained that “in
the message, there clearly emerges the image of a Church who wishes
to communicate, who wishes to enter into dialogue with men and women
of today, aware of the role that has been entrusted to her in this
context. The Pope has mentioned the theme of the culture of encounter
many times, inviting the Church and her members to face various
dimensions and needs specific to this culture. In the text two broad
wavelengths can be seen. The first part of the message is directed
towards the world of communication in the lay context, in which the
Pope offers useful reflections for those who have not taken the
religious option in life but who are nonetheless called upon to
perceive or are already aware of the profound human value of the
world of communication”.

“However, it is in addressing the
Lord's disciples that the message demonstrates its specific tone,
depth and frequency, and the reference to the parable of the good
Samaritan is particularly evocative, as it helps us to understand
communication in terms of proximity to others. … From this
perspective, a challenge emerges to all of us who endeavour to be the
Lord's disciples: to discover that the digital network can be a place
rich in humanity, a network not of cables but rather of human
beings”.

The president of the Pontifical Council
for Social Communications emphasised that the message is “eminently
Franciscan”, as it shows a profound harmony between the image of
the Church as portrayed by the Pope and the world of communication.
“It is undeniable that speaking about the culture of encounter
means focusing on others, and the Church may not abdicate her role of
'accompanying, of going beyond merely listening; a Church who walks
the path alongside us'. Three words resound in these texts:
neighbourliness, solidarity, encounter. … If the culture of
encounter means attention to and solidarity with man in the reality
of the path he walks daily, then it must be able, through respectful
dialogue, to lead today's men and women towards the encounter with
Christ”.

In her address, Professor Giaccardi
observed that, taking as a starting point the fundamental dimension
of encounter, the Pope's document offers at least three clear
indications for interpreting the contemporary world where the means
of communication, above all the digital media, are almost
omnipresent. “First of all”, she said, “communication is by
definition a human, rather than a technological conquest. Technology
may facilitate or hinder, but it does not determine. … If the
anthropological dimension prevails over the technological, then any
form of determinism should be denied. The internet does not make us
more sociable, nor does it cause us to be more alone. We must not,
therefore, use it as an alibi or as a scapegoat instead of assuming
our own responsibilities. Secondly, understanding communication in
terms of solidarity, rather than transmission (which may easily take
place from a distance), has profound implications for education,
formation, training, and catechesis. … Thirdly, when the word and
life are in profound harmony, the communicator is credible. Witness,
or rather the word incarnate, brings warmth and beauty to all paths,
digital ones included”.

Finally, Giaccardi commented on the
image of the good Samaritan, referred to by the Pope in the message
as the “parable of the communicator”, emphasising that “the
Samaritan was neither a technician nor a specialist”, and that
“knowledge or social prestige are not enough to make us capable of
communicating, let alone fully human; it is a reproach to the 'Church
of functionaries', but also to journalists (and intellectuals) and
their world which is certainly not immune to self-referentiality”.

“Journalists, and also academics,
must decide which side they are on: the world is injured and
journalists depict this, by their 'right to inform', claiming
neutrality and objectivity, then pass on to the next story. Or worse,
they can be scoundrels who manipulate and distort reality, without
giving due consideration to the consequences of their actions and
their words, in order to obtain personal advantage. Or, on the other
hand, they can be like the good Samaritan, who looks benevolently
upon the wounded … who tries to help him as best he can, and calls
others to action, giving rise to a chain reaction on the basis of his
witness”.

Vatican City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) –
“Communication at the service of an authentic culture of encounter”
is the title of Pope Francis' message for the 48th World Day of
Social Communications, the only world day established by Vatican
Council II (Inter Mirifica, 1963), which is celebrated on the Sunday
before the feast of Pentecost (which falls on 1 June 2014). The
message is dated 24 January, memorial of St. Francis of Sales, patron
saint of communicators. The full text of the message is published
below:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Today we are living in a world which
is growing ever 'smaller' and where, as a result, it would seem to be
easier for all of us to be neighbours. Developments in travel and
communications technology are bringing us closer together and making
us more connected, even as globalization makes us increasingly
interdependent. Nonetheless, divisions, which are sometimes quite
deep, continue to exist within our human family. On the global level
we see a scandalous gap between the opulence of the wealthy and the
utter destitution of the poor. Often we need only walk the streets of
a city to see the contrast between people living on the street and
the brilliant lights of the store windows. We have become so
accustomed to these things that they no longer unsettle us. Our world
suffers from many forms of exclusion, marginalization and poverty, to
say nothing of conflicts born of a combination of economic,
political, ideological, and, sadly, even religious motives.

“In a world like this, media can help
us to feel closer to one another, creating a sense of the unity of
the human family which can in turn inspire solidarity and serious
efforts to ensure a more dignified life for all. Good communication
helps us to grow closer, to know one another better, and ultimately,
to grow in unity. The walls which divide us can be broken down only
if we are prepared to listen and learn from one another. We need to
resolve our differences through forms of dialogue which help us grow
in understanding and mutual respect. A culture of encounter demands
that we be ready not only to give, but also to receive. Media can
help us greatly in this, especially nowadays, when the networks of
human communication have made unprecedented advances. The internet,
in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and
solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God.

“This is not to say that certain
problems do not exist. The speed with which information is
communicated exceeds our capacity for reflection and judgement, and
this does not make for more balanced and proper forms of
self-expression. The variety of opinions being aired can be seen as
helpful, but it also enables people to barricade themselves behind
sources of information which only confirm their own wishes and ideas,
or political and economic interests. The world of communications can
help us either to expand our knowledge or to lose our bearings. The
desire for digital connectivity can have the effect of isolating us
from our neighbours, from those closest to us. We should not overlook
the fact that those who for whatever reason lack access to social
media run the risk of being left behind.

“While these drawbacks are real, they
do not justify rejecting social media; rather, they remind us that
communication is ultimately a human rather than technological
achievement. What is it, then, that helps us, in the digital
environment, to grow in humanity and mutual understanding? We need,
for example, to recover a certain sense of deliberateness and calm.
This calls for time and the ability to be silent and to listen. We
need also to be patient if we want to understand those who are
different from us. People only express themselves fully when they are
not merely tolerated, but know that they are truly accepted. If we
are genuinely attentive in listening to others, we will learn to look
at the world with different eyes and come to appreciate the richness
of human experience as manifested in different cultures and
traditions. We will also learn to appreciate more fully the important
values inspired by Christianity, such as the vision of the human
person, the nature of marriage and the family, the proper distinction
between the religious and political spheres, the principles of
solidarity and subsidiarity, and many others.

“How, then, can communication be at
the service of an authentic culture of encounter? What does it mean
for us, as disciples of the Lord, to encounter others in the light of
the Gospel? In spite of our own limitations and sinfulness, how do we
draw truly close to one another? These questions are summed up in
what a scribe – a communicator – once asked Jesus: 'And who is my
neighbour?' (Lk 10:29). This question can help us to see
communication in terms of 'neighbourliness'. We might paraphrase the
question in this way: How can we be 'neighbourly' in our use of the
communications media and in the new environment created by digital
technology? I find an answer in the parable of the Good Samaritan,
which is also a parable about communication. Those who communicate,
in effect, become neighbours. The Good Samaritan not only draws
nearer to the man he finds half dead on the side of the road; he
takes responsibility for him. Jesus shifts our understanding: it is
not just about seeing the other as someone like myself, but of the
ability to make myself like the other. Communication is really about
realizing that we are all human beings, children of God. I like
seeing this power of communication as 'neighbourliness'.

“Whenever communication is primarily
aimed at promoting consumption or manipulating others, we are dealing
with a form of violent aggression like that suffered by the man in
the parable, who was beaten by robbers and left abandoned on the
road. The Levite and the priest do not regard him as a neighbour, but
as a stranger to be kept at a distance. In those days, it was rules
of ritual purity which conditioned their response. Nowadays there is
a danger that certain media so condition our responses that we fail
to see our real neighbour.

“It is not enough to be passers-by on
the digital highways, simply 'connected'; connections need to grow
into true encounters. We cannot live apart, closed in on ourselves.
We need to love and to be loved. We need tenderness. Media strategies
do not ensure beauty, goodness and truth in communication. The world
of media also has to be concerned with humanity, it too is called to
show tenderness. he digital world can be an environment rich in
humanity; a network not of wires but of people. The impartiality of
media is merely an appearance; only those who go out of themselves in
their communication can become a true point of reference for others.
Personal engagement is the basis of the trustworthiness of a
communicator. Christian witness, thanks to the internet, can thereby
reach the peripheries of human existence.

“As I have frequently observed, if a
choice has to be made between a bruised Church which goes out to the
streets and a Church suffering from self-absorption, I certainly
prefer the first. Those 'streets' are the world where people live and
where they can be reached, both effectively and affectively. The
digital highway is one of them, a street teeming with people who are
often hurting, men and women looking for salvation or hope. By means
of the internet, the Christian message can reach 'to the ends of the
earth' (Acts 1:8). Keeping the doors of our churches open also means
keeping them open in the digital environment so that people, whatever
their situation in life, can enter, and so that the Gospel can go out
to reach everyone. We are called to show that the Church is the home
of all. Are we capable of communicating the image of such a Church?
Communication is a means of expressing the missionary vocation of the
entire Church; today the social networks are one way to experience
this call to discover the beauty of faith, the beauty of encountering
Christ. In the area of communications too, we need a Church capable
of bringing warmth and of stirring hearts.

“Effective Christian witness is not
about bombarding people with religious messages, but about our
willingness to be available to others 'by patiently and respectfully
engaging their questions and their doubts as they advance in their
search for the truth and the meaning of human existence' (BENEDICT
XVI, Message for the 47th World Communications Day, 2013). We need
but recall the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus. We have
to be able to dialogue with the men and women of today, to understand
their expectations, doubts and hopes, and to bring them the Gospel,
Jesus Christ himself, God incarnate, who died and rose to free us
from sin and death. We are challenged to be people of depth,
attentive to what is happening around us and spiritually alert. To
dialogue means to believe that the 'other' has something worthwhile
to say, and to entertain his or her point of view and perspective.
Engaging in dialogue does not mean renouncing our own ideas and
traditions, but the claim that they alone are valid or absolute.

“May the image of the Good Samaritan
who tended to the wounds of the injured man by pouring oil and wine
over them be our inspiration. Let our communication be a balm which
relieves pain and a fine wine which gladdens hearts. May the light we
bring to others not be the result of cosmetics or special effects,
but rather of our being loving and merciful 'neighbours' to those
wounded and left on the side of the road. Let us boldly become
citizens of the digital world. The Church needs to be concerned for,
and present in, the world of communication, in order to dialogue with
people today and to help them encounter Christ. She needs to be a
Church at the side of others, capable of accompanying everyone along
the way. The revolution taking place in communications media and in
information technologies represents a great and thrilling challenge;
may we respond to that challenge with fresh energy and imagination as
we seek to share with others the beauty of God.”

Vatican City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) –
Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, head of the Holy See delegation, spoke
yesterday at the international conference on Syria taking place in
Montreux, Switzerland. The prelate remarked that “confronted with
the indescribable suffering of the Syrian people, a sense of
solidarity and common responsibility prompts us to engage in a
dialogue which is based on honesty, mutual trust, and concrete steps”
and stressed that dialogue is the only way forward.

“There is no military solution to the
Syrian crisis”, he said. “The Holy See is convinced that violence
leads nowhere but to death, destruction and no future. … The Holy
See renews its urgent appeal to all the parties concerned for the
full and absolute respect for humanitarian law”.

He presented various proposals,
emphasising that “an immediate cease-fire without preconditions and
the end to violence of all kinds should become a priority and the
urgent goal of these negotiations”, to which he added that “all
weapons should be laid down and specific steps should be taken to
stop the flow of arms and arms funding that feed the escalation of
violence and destruction, to leave room for the instruments of
peace”.

Likewise, he commented that the
cessation of hostilities should be accompanied by “increased
humanitarian assistance and the immediate start of reconstruction”,
which should “start together with negotiations and should be
sustained by the generous solidarity of the international community.
In this process, young people should be given a preferential
consideration so that through their employment and work they may
become protagonists for a peaceful and creative future for their
country”.

“Community rebuilding calls for
dialogue and reconciliation sustained by a spiritual dimension. The
Holy See strongly encourages all religious faiths and communities in
Syria to reach a deeper mutual knowledge, a better understanding and
a restoration of trust”.

He continued, “It is important that
regional and international powers favour the ongoing dialogue and
that regional problems be addressed. Peace in Syria could become a
catalyst of peace in other parts of the region, and a model of that
peace that is so urgently needed”.

“Beyond the tragedies of the current
crisis, new opportunities and original solutions for Syria and its
neighbours can come about. … [so that] no-one is forced to leave
his country because of intolerance and the inability to accept
differences. In fact, the equality assured by common citizenship can
allow the individual to express for himself and in community with
others the fundamental values all persons hold indispensable to
sustain their inner identity”.

The archbishop concluded by emphasising
that since the Syrian crisis began, the Holy See has been following
its developments with deep concern and has constantly advocated that
all parties involved commit themselves to the prevention of violence
and to the provision of humanitarian assistance to all victims.

The Holy See observer also referred to
the many occasions on which the Pope has raised his voice “to
remind people of the futility of violence, inviting a negotiated
resolution of problems, calling for a just and equitable
participation of everyone in the life of society”, and highlighted
the convocation by the Holy Father of a Day of Prayer and Fasting for
peace in Syria and the Middle East, which received an overwhelmingly
positive response worldwide. He concluded by remarking that the
culture of encounter and the culture of dialogue are “the only way
to peace”.

Vatican City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) –
Today, the Holy Father appointed the following as prelate auditors of
the Roman Rota Tribunal: Msgr. Antonio Bartolacci, moderator of the
Chancery of the same Tribunal, and Fr. Manuel Saturino da Costa
Gomes, S.C.I., lecturer in Canon Law at the faculty of theology and
director of the Higher Institute of Canon Law of the Universidade
Catolica Portuguesa, and judge of the Patriarchal Tribunal of Lisbon.